The San Jose Sharks are going to feel a void without Erik Karlsson on the blue line this year, but Matt Benning is taking an optimistic approach to the Norris Trophy winner departing in a trade that sent him to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“He was our leading point-getter as a defenseman and at the end of a game, when we were down, we were definitely looking at him,” Matt Benning said, via Derek Van Diest of NHL.com “But when guys leave there are opportunities for other guys to jump in and get a hold of that.”

Karlsson will look to help the Penguins make it back to the playoffs and compete for a deep run with a core of players that are towards the end of their careers. The Sharks are rebuilding. Benning wants to be a part of that.

“I've been working hard this summer and will be trying to provide more offense,” Benning said, via Van Diest. “I'm not Erik, but hopefully, I can bring some offense to the table and help some of our forwards out. I think last year, I did I good job of getting my shots through, and the forwards did a good job of getting to the net and we had a few goals come that way. Even though we're going to miss Erik and Timo and some of the pieces we los, I think we can find other ways to score as well.

Benning said that the Sharks have some good pieces to build around.

“I think we're trying to build around ‘Tommy' (center Tomas Hertl), ‘Coutch' (center Logan Couture) and those types of guys, guys that have played in the league for a couple of years,” Benning said, via Van Diest. “Obviously ‘Karl' and (forward) Timo [Meier] will be missed, but we have some new young guys coming in and there will be lots of opportunity out there, and hopefully that will make young guys excited to get ready for camp.”

Having a core built around Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture could be a good plan to contend in the future.